Bald Mountain Water System

Bald Mountain water system is located between Youbou and the Town of Lake Cowichan, next to Cowichan Lake, in Area F. The facility services 132 properties.

Source, Treatment and Distribution

The water source consists of 3 groundwater wells and receives both chlorination and UV disinfection before being pumped to a 1120 m3 steel reservoir. The water is gravity fed on demand from the reservoir to the distribution system and to each water service.

Critical equipment is monitored 24-hours a day for malfunctions (such as high or low chlorine levels or pump failures); if such an abnormality occurs an alarm is send to the on-duty pager to alert CVRD-staff for immediate response.

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Water Quality Testing

Bald Mountain water system is sampled, at a minimum, once a week. The following table shows the sampling frequency and parameters tested for the water system:

Frequency

Parameter Tested

Laboratory

Weekly

Bacterial (E.Coli and Total Coliforms)

Samples are submitted to the Island Health Authority for testing by a provincial laboratory

Annual

Full spectrum analysis based on the Canadian Drinking Water Guidelines. Sampling of the source and tap water is alternated each year.

Fee Structure

Bald Mountain is a fully metered water system meaning each connection has a water meter that records water consumption. Water meters are read every six months and customers are charged according to their consumption and based on the rates set out in the inclined block rate table (see below for details)

Annual Charges (2018 Rates)

Billing Period

Meter Reading Date

User Fees*
minimum payment (up to 200m3)

Parcel Tax**(approx.)

Minimum Annual Fee
(User Fee and Parcel)

April 1 - September 30

October 1

$135.00

$418.77

$688.77

October 1 - March 31

April 1

$135.00

*User Fees are mailed out to each customers on the billing date stated above.**Parcel Tax is charged once a year and is incorporated into the property tax for each customer. BC Assessment charges a 5.25% administrative fee which is included in this amount.

Inclined Block Rate Table

User Fees

Water Use (per billing period)

Charge

0-200 m3

$135.00

201-300 m3

$135.00 + $1.00 per m3 over 200m3

301-400 m3

$235.00 + $1.50 per m3 over 300m3

over 400 m3

$385.00 + $2.25 per m3 over 400m3

High Consumption Due​ to Undetected Leaks

User charges may be adjusted on a one-time forgiveness basis, where an undetected leak on your property has resulted in water consumption greatly exceeding your normal consumption (for the billing period) and there is no indication that water was knowingly allowed to run to waste. Additionally, a cap of $1500.00 is in place for subsequent leaks after the first "forgiveness" of a water overage charge. Written verification describing the nature of the leak and the action taken to repair the problem must be received by the Manager before the forgiveness will be granted